Visitors contributed $38.8 million (£25.3 million/€32.3 million) in direct economic impact, through hotel stays and restaurant purchases and the additional $13.3 million (£8.7 million/€11.1 million) was generated in "indirect spending" by those who benefited economically from the visitors' spending.
 
The overall figure far exceeds the estimated $36 million (£23.2 million/€29.9 million) that was spent during the 2013 National Senior Games, held in Cleveland. 

This is despite the fact that the Senior Games drew 25,000 visitors, while the ninth edition of the Gay Games, which took place between August 9 and 16, attracted approximately 20,000. 

Although the number of competing athletes was 4,000 lower than the 12,000 at the Chicago 2006 Games, Thomas Nobbe, the Cleveland-based director of Gay Games 9, was not hugely surprised by the results. 

"I was always pretty confident that if we got them here, they would spend money," he told Cleveland.com.

"They did.

"The other piece of this - they received such a fantastic welcome here from the get-go.

"They felt good about Cleveland-Akron.

"I have to believe that encouraged them."

The Gay Games 9 attracted approximately 20,000 visitors ©Gay Games Cleveland




Shawn M Rohlin, an assistant professor of economics at Kent State University, conducted the economic impact studies for both the Gay Games and the Senior Games.

Surveys asking about the dollar amounts spent by athletes and their guests at the Gay Games were e-mailed to all registered participants after the event. 

Roughly 1,150 participants responded, 76 per cent of whom were from outside the Cleveland and Akron region.

"The Gay Games attracted people from around the world," Rohlin told Cleveland.com.

"And they certainly spent a lot of money."